The San Francisco 49ers have been dealt their fair share of injuries over the last two seasons. Unfortunately, another player slated to be a starter on this year's team has been bitten by the injury bug.
During his time with the media on Thursday, Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan made it known, courtesy of The Athletic's Matt Barrows, that recent All-Rookie Team selection Ji'Ayir Brown underwent ankle surgery during the offseason and, as a result, will be sidelined until the team opens training camp later this fall.
49ers Starting Safety Ji'Ayir Brown Sidelined Until Training Camp
The good news is that Brown's rehab is not expected to drag on into training camp and the preseason. The bad news is that the former third-round pick is missing valuable time on the field with the majority of San Francisco's defense.
While Brown will certainly try to make up for the lost time during camp, these offseason activities are where returning players and new additions can unite for the first time. Those opportunities to build a rapport with new teammates both on and off the field are important.
The former Penn State University standout has started in 18 of the 31 regular-season games he has appeared in since joining San Francisco in 2023. For his career, Brown has recorded a total of 107 tackles to go along with nine pass deflections and three interceptions.
Brown broke out during the 2023 postseason, as in the two games the Niners played, the safety stuffed the stat sheet with 21 total tackles, one pass deflection, and one interception. Players are routinely judged on how they perform when the lights are brightest, and Brown more than held his own during his first taste of playoff football.
With San Francisco looking to bounce back from their fourth-place finish in the NFC West last season, the Niners will need Brown to be fully healthy and ready to roll when the team travels north for their Week 1 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.